Stair tread device



Dec- 26, 1933. l P, D|| |g 1,940,744

STAIR TREAD DEVICE Filed April 14. 1931 INVENTOR Patented Dec. Z6, 1933 Application April 14, 1931. Serial No. 529,960

`1 Claim. (C1. 20-79) Stair carpets, usually long strips termed runners, Yowing to the constant use of the stairs wear outrapidly, especially at the front edges of the tread boards of the stairs, and thus the floor 5 carpets and rugs outlast the stair coverings.

` Various schemes for protecting the runners from wear have been proposed, and in several instances have been put into use.

Thus in some cases the use of a runner has l been abandoned 'and tread surfaces of rubber or other long-wearing material have been employed. Such tread protectors, however, present. an incongruous appearance, especially in private houses, and render the use of the stairs noisy. l Again, in some instances strips of metaLhaving an arcuate cross sectional shape, have been secured over the runner at the edge of the tread boards to assume the hardest wear, but such protectors are unsightly and the heels are likely tov fr0 catch thereon and thus serious accidents occur. Another proposed form of covering for the tread boards of stairs comprises pieces of carpet cut to the proper dimensions to cover a tread board with the edges of the carpet piece clamped '.15 in the doubled over sides and ends of an open In the present invention I am enabled to usel the ordinary carpet runner von the stairs without cutting it into pieces, and the feet come into contact with the carpet on the tread boards of the stairs andk normally not in contact with the metal frame.

The arrangement is such that the wear at the e front edge of the step, where the carpet is stretched overthe edg of the tread board is taken by the frame but the portion of the carpet which fills the center of the frame has its top or tread surface raised abovethe latter. 5G Thus the stairs are Vrendered noiseless and there is no danger of the heel striking or catching on the-frame.

By means of my novel arrangement, the center of the frame is occupied by a cushioning member or pad over which the runner is stretched, and

the edges 0I" the pad are preferably reduced in thickness and are held beneath the frame.

The frame is provided at the front with a curved nose which fits over the front edge of the tread board ofthe stairs and thus protects the vrunner at the point of greatestwear.

The frame may be formed of metal or of other lmaterial having the'required degree of rigidity and wear-resistance.

Other novel features of construction, andalso 6o of arrangement vof parts will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have illustrated a practical embodiment of the prinoiples of my invention, Fig. l is a plan View showing a'stair step to which my invention is applied. l

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail in section of the curved nose or `front bar of the frame. y y75 Fig. 4'is an enlarged detail in cross section of v one of the end bars ofthe frame.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, l represents one oi the tread boards of a stairway, 2 the lower riser and 3 the upper riser. 4 represents the runner or strip ofv carpet on 'the stairs.

Iprovide an open framewhich may be of metal or other material of suflicient rigidity and wearresisting qualities'. This frame is comprised of the front bar or nose .5 which is curved to iit downover the frontV edge of the tread board 1, the rear bar 6 which is parallel to the front bar 5, and the two end bars '7. The bars are rigidly 90 or integrally connected with each other at their ends.

The bars arerprovided with substantially horizontal portions with, in the case of the rear bar and the `end bars, an inclined skirt 8 which ex- 95 tends downwardly and outwardly as shown.

I The under surfaces of the horizontal portions of the bars are provided with ribs 9 which are preferably angular as shown. Y

10 represents a stair pad which may be of any suitable material, such as of rubber or felt, or of any other suitable pad material. Its body or main portion is of proper dimensions to fit the open center of the frame with suihcient freedom to accommodate the runner 4. The body of the f pad should be of suicient thickness to extend Y up at least to and preferably somewhat above the portions of the bars of the frame. The stair carpet or runner 4 is preferably continuous.

The pad l together with its flange ll is of substantially the saine width as the runner.

The pads l0 are inserted under the runner 4 on each step of the stairs and the frames are then placed in position, the pads and the por tions of the runner superposed on the pads occupying' the openings of the frames, and the noses 5 of the frames covering and protecting the portions of the runner which are stretched around the front edges of the tread boards, and the horizontal portions of the bars of the Yframe pressing down on the runner and on the flanges 1l of the pads l0, the ribs 9 being pressed down into the runner and into the flange of the pad. The frames are held down snugly in place as by means of nails or screws 2 whi n are inserted through holes in the skirts S of trie end bars 7.

t is evident that the runner is exposed in the openings of the trainee and its top surface elevated by the pads so that the feet of one Walking up ordown. the stairs step on soft cushioned surfaces and do not Contact with the frame,

The runner if properly secured when put down will remain properly stretched and will not budge or pull out.

The relatively thick padding protects the exposed portions of the runner and the curved noses of the frames prevent the wearing and sculng of the runner where it is turned over the front edge of the tread boards.

The frame and pad are inexpensive and easily installed and removed.

I claim:-

A stair tread device for stairs wherein each tread has a nose which projects forwardly of the riser below the tread andconsisting of a unitary rectangular frame having its inner peripheral portieri i'iat and parallel to the plane of the tread and provided on its underside adjacent said periphery with a V-shaped rib extending downwardly all around the frame, said frame having parallel front and rear portions and parallel side portions which are bent downward and outward at their outer parts to rest on the tread of a stair, the said side portions forming inverted channels whereby a strip of carpet may pass beneath said frame with the side edges of the carpet conned within the channel of the side portions of the frame and with said portion holding,r the carpet snugly at the point of juncture of the tread board and the upper riser of the stair,V the outer part of said front portion being bent downwardly and then rearwardly to extend entirely around the nose of the tread, and longitudinal eorrugations formed on. the downwardly bent part of the said forward portion.

HENRYY P. DLLlG. 

